43
Too big, too strong
Culver powers Harding to sweep
By charles grove
warren
The last time the Fitch and Warren Harding boys basketball teams got together, the Falcons were able to slow down the pace, nearly pulling off the upset.
The second go-around, it was the Derek Culver show.
Culver scored 24 points, 11 of which came in the first quarter highlighted by two dunks, en route to Friday’s 75-60 win for the Raiders (11-1, 9-0 All-American Conference Red).
“[Derek] establisted good low post presence tonight and when he really asserts his will, it’s pretty impressive,” Harding coach Andy Vlajkovich said. “When he’s locked in emotionally and mentally he’s really, really good.”
Fitch coach Brian Beany said when it comes to playing Harding you have a difficult choice to make, trying to stop the outside shooting or trying to stop Culver down low.
“With them, you’ve got to pick your poison,” Beany said. “Do you try to take away Culver and leave the outside shots susceptible?
“Or do you try to take away the outside shots and leave Culver one-on-one? Culver, you’re not going to stop though. He’s too big and too strong.”
The Raiders pressed the Falcons (7-6, 4-4) most of the night to try to speed up the tempo of the game. Beany said his team at times played into that trap of playing at the tempo the opposition preferred instead of the slower, methodical style Fitch was more successful with the first time the teams met in December.
“You have to make sure you don’t get into that run-and-gun with them and I think that we did a little bit tonight because things were there,” Beany said. “The problem is when you don’t capitalize on those chances they’re going the other way just as fast.
“I told my guys ‘If something’s there, take it. But it’s got to be a good look.’ It’s a fine line between going quick and going too quick. Too quick for us is out of control, which is what they want.”
Scotty Duffy and Anthony Pangio kept Fitch in the game scoring 21 and 18 points, respectively. The Falcons had numerous runs to get the game within a couple of possessions, but then the Raiders seemed to immediately answer with efficient 3-point shooting.
Mark Herron (11 points) and Tiryn Frank (six points) had five 3-pointers between them and the Raiders were able to eventually pull away for the win. Gabe Simpson also hit three 3-pointers, adding 16 to the Raider cause.
“[Herron] hit some big outside shots,” Beany said. “I swear every time we play them they don’t miss from the outside. They were really working inside and out tonight.”
Playing slower paced teams is something Vlajkovich says is going to benefit his team come tournament time.
“The last couple of years we were in Cleveland and that’s a much faster paced game but less organization and our new tournament in Alliance is going to have some very organized teams,” Vlajkovich said. “This is probably the style of basketball we’re going to have to play in the district tournament.”